EU has taken an initiative to regulate AI by approving The AI Act in European Parliament, which is to be sent to the European Council.

The approach of Europe is risk-based regulation. The greater the risk of AI, the higher the restrictions.

It is clarified that generative AI companies will have to disclose the data used in training the systems.

It proposes to ban the use of AI where it affects the livelihood, safety and rights of people. It also disallows real-time facial recognition and biometric identification in public.

India is concerned about this subject, but has to start consultations with the stakeholders. India’s Digital India Bill may bring some principles and guardrails for AI.

There could be three aspects — state interventions, industry-based certification and code of conduct.

The issue is the MNC tech platforms are interconnected and operate across geographical boundaries.

Europe may get the first mover advantage. It is for the rest of the world to decide how far to align with it or deviate from it. Europe’s GDPR — General Data Protection Regulation has become a benchmark at which the rest of the world looks.

Real-time surveillance systems should be banned. So should facial recognition in public places.